This rambling 25-bedroom retreat in Cordoba, Andalusia,was designed by the Spanish architect, historian, and essayist Fernando Chueca Goitia (1911–2004) for himself. During the second half of the 20th century, Chueca oversaw the restoration of historic buildings throughout Spain, designed Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral, and wrote The History of Spanish Architecture. He also built himself this hunting lodge in Andalusian palatial style—an estate as grand as the rest of his oeuvre.
Its 32,000 square feet comprise apartments and vaulted halls linked by courtyards bursting with foliage and fountains, all in the Arabic-Andalusian style on which Chueca was one of the world’s experts. The interior showcases distinctive millwork, tiling, and ironwork.
The property comprises two large lakes, orchards, pavilions, and a swimming pool, as well as extensive support facilities for staff. Meticulous landscaping echoes the legendary gardens of Moorish Spain.
Text by David K. Gibson in architecturaldigest.com
Photography courtesy of Kristina Szekely